If humans could eliminate mental illness from the race, would that eliminate crime? [Caveat for the religious in details.]?

People with mental illness are far more likely to be victims of crime than perpetrators. The idea that the mentally ill are criminals is a bald-faced lie.

No. Crime is not the same as mental illness, and vice versa.

Mental illness is blamed for crime in America as a backpedaling justification for the status quo.

Surely there’s nothing wrong with the state of the world… only someone with a mental illness would do such a horrible thing! Such a person couldn’t possibly be a logical result of our society!

It’s a method of shutting down the uncomfortable discussion of why we are to blame and how to fix it.

Crime would still be an issue since sanity seems to have no bearing on honesty. Many, MANY more people would be committing suicide, which is a crime. But no suicide notes!

No, but it would eliminate religion.

No, but elimination of crime (since crime breeds crime much like an infectious disease), elimination of the massive income inequality and elimination of systems that place value on certain groups over others based on biological or social standards might eliminate crime/violence.

No, much crime is committed because of greed.

Mental illness is a subjective thing. Teens think adults are flat out nuts. I notice members of the Fluther still use the term, “PTSD” even though, after my having long thought the “D” was incorrect, they finally have dropped the “D”. Reacting with stress, anger, fear, etc. after a deeply traumatic experience is not a disorder, it is a common and expected reaction to extreme disorder. It is the disorder which comes first. The “PTS” is the normal after, expected, and in need of healing.
Wanting to cause pain, to me, is mental disorder. Greed strong enough to drive someone’s behavior, is mental disorder. Killing humans when it is not for self or vulnerable other defense, is mental disorder.
For those things, yes, it would help. People who can’t remember who they are, think they are Ben Franklin, maybe that sort of thing can be considered a mental illness but I don’t. I think reality is not something we can mandate. A person’s reality is their own, and nobody should be able to mandate what it should be.
So, as I see it, like time, reality is a human invention. Time may be marked by certain events, but is only something humans thought up. So it is with reality. Humans have markers for that, but reality is something humans have invented based on certain markers, and corralled accordingly. When persons are no threat, they should be allowed the reality which suits them.

What was the question?
Oh, yeah, no. And, yes. Which reality are you supporting? Which definition do you observe as mental illness?

Not unless “mental illness” covers such things as envy, jealousy, and anger, which all seem to be part of the natural package, and drug use, which doesn’t. Not to mention hunger, want, cruelty, abuse, and gross disappointment with life.

In fact, it seems to me (as a layperson) that mental illness can be a result of such things as much as or more than the cause. Perhaps where the illness shows up is in the response to them, the actions taken or not taken.

Crime is naught but misdirected energy.

Sorry I had to work today, so I’m late responding.

I was not equating mental illness with crime, but crime with mental illness @Hawaii_Jake. I think a significant portion of the prison population may be suffering from a mental illness that’s exacerbated by confinement.

I have to ask what you specifically mean by “a logical result of our society” doing “a horrible thing.” An example or examples? I’m thinking about this, for example.
Isn’t an exponential increase in mental illness a logical result of our society?

“Greed strong enough to drive someone’s behavior, is mental disorder.” @marinelife. The same with “envy, jealousy, and anger”, @Jeruba.

I’m not certain I have the stamina to answer @Here2_4, although there are quotes above.
“So, as I see it, like time, reality is a human invention. Time may be marked by certain events, but is only something humans thought up. So it is with reality. Humans have markers for that””
Time, in most of the world today is an extremely narrowly defined invention. It allows the world to function as a society. How can “reality” be any less?
“When persons are no threat, they should be allowed the reality which suits them.”